grich



(No Model.)

I. GRIGH.

APPARATUS ,FOR WIPING WIRE. v No, 275,364. Patented Apr. 10, 1883'.

W AE IHA U N. PEIERS, Halo-Lithographer, Walhulgton, D.'c.

NITE STATES FREDEICK ORIGH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY ROBERTS, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR WIPING WIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 275,364, dated. April 10, 1883.

Application filed April 24, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDRIcK Onion, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Wiping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

It is common to-coat iron or steel wireswith zinc, in the process known as galvanizing, by drawing them slowly through preparatory 1o materialsas acid and sal-ammoniac-then through the bath of melted zinc, and immediately afterward through a quantity of material which performs an important function by wiping off the surplus of melted zinc, leaving a 1 uniform thin coat covering the wire. Twelve or other considerable number of wires are thus taken.t0gether through the metal bath, and through the preparatory and subsequent treatment, being carried a sufficient distance apart to avoid contact, and to allow the several operations to be successfully performed.

The presentinvention relates to the means for holding and operating the wiping material.

. The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

I place the wiping-box, as usual, over one end of the metal bath, so that the zinc wiped off may flow back into the same. I provide an 0 approximately tight bottom of iron or other suitable material a few inches above the surface of the melted metal, having holes properly arranged to receive the several wires, and sufficiently larger than the wires to allow the 3 5 passage of the knots or junctions which are roughly made where one length of wire terminates and another begins. These knots,which seem to be essential to the rough and rapid working necessary inthis art, are important 4.0 to be considered in the wiping mechanism, as it renders impracticable the presenting of any close-fitting rigid parts in contact with the wire. Isupport the apertured bottom referred to on ledges from uprights-one at each side 4 5 of the bath. Above the bottom plate I mount two side pieces or wings, which extend across the bath and converge upward. The wiping material is held in position by these side pieces or converging wings, the proper pressure heing imparted to the material through thumbscrews operating in the end supports, and hearing with variable force against the wings through the medium of longitudinal rods or bars. I provide two slots in each of the end pieces to accommodate the traverse of these rods.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a transverse section of the wiping-box and of a portion of the bath-contain- 6o ing tank. Fig. 2 is a section of the bath-tank, taken at right angles to Fig. 1, showing arear elevation of the wiping-box.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures. A is a portion of the vessel which contains.

the bath of melted metal.

B is a plate of cast-iron, having holes b, properly arranged to allow the passage of the several wires m side by side. This plate is held at an inclination, being supported on ledges on the inner faces of end pieces, which are bolted or otherwise secured upon the vessel A.

O G are these end pieces, certain portions bein g designated,when necessary, by additional marks, as 0 C 0 are feetby which the wholeis bolted down.

0 are the inner ledges, which support the plate B.

D and E are converging sides of the wipingbox. They are near together at the top and wide apart at the bottom; but the positions of both are changeable within considerable limits.

The wiping material is indicated by M. It may be of any character adapted to smoothly remove the surplus of melted zinc and to endure the high temperature and severe abrasion to which it is exposed. The vitreous fibrous material known as mineral wool serves well.

I prefer a compound of such. material with 0 vegetable fiber and a small quantity of grease. Such compound will be made the subject of a separate application for patent.

The positions of the sides D and E may be varied with nicety by means of thumb-screws 5 G, tapped in the end pieces, 0, and pressing either directly or through the medium of blocks G against removable bars II, which extend along on the outer faces of the sides D and E, and hold them to their work. There :00

the wiping material.

are considerable slots in the end pieces, 0, which, as the thumb-screws G are turned, allow the bars H, and consequently the corresponding side pieces, D and E, to be moved together to increase the pressure of the wiping material from time to time.

The lowermost slots are marked 0, the uppermost 0 The upper slots should be long to allow a wide opening or separation of the upper edges of the side pieces, D and E. This is important in filling the box with fresh material. The lowermost slots may be considerably shorter.

I have not deemed it necessary to represent the reels which give off the several wires, the acid bath and furnace which give the preliminary treatment to the wires, nor the reels which, being turned uniformly by power, receive and by winding up the wire thereon draw it through the entire apparatus, of which my wiping-box may form the terminal portion. It will be understood that the wires move upward in inclined and approximately uniform and parallel paths from the hot mass of metal in the vessel A up through the holes in the bottom plate, 15, and through the mass of wiping material M, emerging in a smoothly-wiped condition from the narrow top of the wipingbox, and, with or without subsequent treatment, being wound in proper coils on the several take-up reels. (Not represented.) The surplus melted zinc is removed near the base of Myexperimentsindicate that it will flow back and return to the bath in a considerable stream from each wire. The remainder of the passage of the wires through the wiping material is mainly for the purpose of smoothing the surface and insuring an even distribution of the small quantities of zinc allowed to remain on the wires'. The wiping material is exposed to wear along the whole line of contact with each wire, and when a roughly-twistedjunction or knotof two lengths of wire moves upward through the wipingmaterial it violently scratches away a considerable quantity. From both causes--the uniform wear of the regular wiping and the harsh abrasion of the knots at long intervals-the wiping material is removed around each wire, and requires to be replaced by the pressing inward of fresh quantities from the mass at more distant points. The wiping material is sufiiciently mobile to allow this to be performed by forcing inward the plates D and E at intervals. The attendant must exercise somejudgment in regard to this matter. Inspection of the wires from time to time will inform him of the general condition of the wiping material. When the box is freshly supplied, the plates D and E are wide apart. As the use is continued they are screwed gradually together. At intervals of a few days,

more or less, the work is stopped, the screws G set back, the bars E removed, which can be done by drawing them out endwise, the side pieces, D and E, taken out and the entire remaining mass of wiping material removed,

another long period of working, without requiring any further attention than the setting inward of the several screws Gr to a small extent at frequent intervals, and with some kinds of material an occasional dampening of the upper surface to prevent the rise of dust, and an occasional packing or stirring of the wiping material M with a pointed tool introduced from above will be advantageous.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of the details without departing from the principle or sacrificing the ad vantages of the invention. Parts may be used without the whole. The wires may be led up through the wiping-box at a greater or less inclination. The wiping-box may be varied in its inclination relatively to the wires.

The depth of the wiping-box may vary. Only one side instead of both sides of the wipingbox may be movable. movable. The upper edges of the sides D and E may be alone adjustable, the lower portion of the wiping-box being always kept of a uniform width; or the reverse conditions may obtain. The bottom may be contractible,while the top remains uniformly fixed at only a sufificient distance apart to allow the knots to pass, provision being made, by opening the plates or otherwise, for sufficiently liberal access in replenishing. The sides D and E may be curved instead of plane. A very desirable form, for many reasons, would be attained by curving each of the plates inward, giving a more rapid narrowing of the wiping-box in the lower than in the upper portion. Instead of the bars H extending quite across the apparatus and engaging in both the heads or end pieces, 0, shorter bars may serve, operated like door-bolts; but it is important that some equivalent of these bars be used to allow the sides D and E to be widely separated with facility when it is necessary to take away the old wiping material and supply fresh.

What I claim is- 1. The combination,with a vessel, A, containing melted metal, of the wiping-box having a perforated base, 13, and adjustable sides D E, and means, G, for gradually contracting the dimensions from either side and compressing the wiping material, substantially as herein specified.

2. The removable bars H,extending from end The bottom B may be to end of the box, in combination with the ad- 0 c and duplicate sets of adjusting means, Gr, of March,1882,in the presence of two subscribfor setting from either or both sides,the moving witnesses.

able sides D E and inclined perforated bottom I B, arranged for joint operation, substantially FRED (JRIOH' 5 as herein specified. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my W. H. CASSIDY,

hand at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, this 30th day CHARLES G. STETSON. 

